Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-05-18
sp,Ksricn in Toronto.

O'Bricn in Toronto.
Editor O'Brien arrived in Toronto at ex-
actly II o'clock yesterday morning. The
train WAS boarded about fifty miles down
the read By party of newspaper men, who
presented him with copies of the morning
papers in which it was predicted riot
would follow his arrival. All along the line
Of the road immense crowds had congregat-
ed, who peered into ehe cars and scowlingly
pointed ont the famous editor. AS the train
rolled into the depot President Mulligan, Of
the National League, who is q law partner
of Sir John Macdonald, premier of the
Dominion, rushed into the csr and grasped
| O'Brien by the hand. The platform was
crowded, and as O'Brien was recognized he
was greeted with roar of cheers, which
rose higher and higher in volume. few
slight Goes and almost inaudible hisses were
mingled with the cheers. It was re-
marked upon very much this cooling.
Slight Kisses have been heard now and
again, but no hooting Mr.. O'Brien was
impressed with how very much it resembled
| the oracular performances Of the Sandy Row
Orangemen in Belfast. "They have i'm
ported the CUSTOM" said he, 81 see, and
have improved upon it, which, God knows,
is not saving muchn 1t did not seem 70
trouble him bit, however, and he passed
into carriage with members of the
committees, amid files OF policemen
on foot and mounted, under COM
mand of Inspector Ward. The horses
pranced about, and kept scattering the
crowd and the uniformed men with spiked
helmets, who were each supplied with sew
eral rounds of ball cartridge, and from under
whose belts the polished barrels of cleaning
six shooters peeped out IN omlnous readl-
ness. But there had been no need for them
so far The Rossin House is only 8 few
blocks away. and as the party drove there
the crowd Increased and the enthusiasm
grew greater. The spacious rotunda Of the
! hotel was one mass of humanity and away
out into King and York streets and all
around could throng be deserted occupy
| ING every.available inch of space. To reach
| his room was impossible; to register was
| impossible, so Mr.. O'Bren was hoisted on
| the shoulders to the broad staircase, and
| there. amid intense excitement, was present
ed with an address by d. p. Oahill, secre.
tary Of the local branch of the National
League. During Mr.. O'Brien's reply there
were frequent attempts at interruption by
| several of the crowd cooling, but, SIS before,
| the overwhelming majority were O'Brien-
ties, and their cheers sounded like chorus.
| The address warmly welcomed OBrien to
Toronto, and extended oD behalf of the
| Irish nationaiists 8 sincere wish that his I'M
dertaking would be a success. 1t assured
| him that ali liberal minded men sympathized
with his mission. The address also referred
to O'Brien's gallant and vigorous defense Of
the Irish in all their struggles
Mr.. O'Brien responed, thanking the Irish
nationalists for their address Of welcome.
He wanted only fair play in Canada, and he
was sure it would be accorded him.
O'Brien and friends reached Queens
Park at 4:30 o'clock, but the meeting did
not begin until about 5. There were about
II 900 people on the ground, and the ex-
element at times was intense. The entire
police force was on the ground, and at
convenient distance troops were held in
readiness to suppress any outbreak. In
and out of the vast crowd rode mounted
police seeking by the effect of their presence
to keep in check the excitement which at
times threatened to burst its bound and end
in trouble. When O'Brien began speaking
the opposing crowd started up "God save
the Queen" and the national anthem was
repeated again and again from the throats
! of at least three fourths present Not o
sound could be heard from the speakers
.
ltumult. O'Brien continued speaking, how
ever though his remarks were inaudiole. a
few small collisions occurred followed by
prompt arrests An appeal by O'Brien to
the crowd to avoid any disturbance was
followed by hand to hand fights, but the
police soon restored order. The crowd
now and then varied the national
anthem bv cheers for LRnsdowne, "Rule
Britannia &C., followed by deafening
cheers. Even those on the platform failed
to catch Mr. O'Brien's words. In his speech
he said 81 am not at all sorry that the egen-
tlemen of the Toronto corporation have bro
ken their contract as Lord Lansdowne broke
his. snd have refused us the hospitality of
St. Andrews Hall. There is one hail,
thank God. from which they cannot shut us
out-this open vault of heaven, which the
great Architect of the universe has built,
and we have tale to tell which we need
not be afraid or ashamed to tell in the tree
air of heaven aud the open light OF day.
One thing is now, think, certain, and that
is that the Canadians demand an answer to
the specific and terrible accusations we have
made against him. An answer there must
be, or Lord Lansdowne stands condemned !;
an answer very different from the vague
patitudes with which he fills his letter IN
the Toronto papers to-day He thought
the refusal Of public hall or boycottng
was not an answer, and believed Lord
Lansdowne fully realized that the trothings
of the orators at Saturdays meeting were
not answers to the charges. He referred
to the attack on Rev. Mr.. Kane, and
with pleasure alluded TO the refusal OF
the Canadian Parliament TO pass resou
tions of confidence in Salisbury's govern